New Pork City
by yoshi-koshii
Summary: A new home and fresh start with new friends. It was everything Matilda could have asked for. The perfect life. But when a series unfortunate of events unfolds before her, it couldn't be stopped. It was destiny. (Rated PG-13 because of suggestive themes in later chapters. Disclaimer: I don't own EarthBound or Nintendo, blah, blah, blah...)
1. Chapter 1: The Lovely Neighbors

The crimson clouds of the evening began to settle in as another serene day passed. The humble town of Tazmily, a countryside settlement on the Nowhere Islands, gradually began to slow in pace. Villagers tiredly headed home from a day's worth of work, ready to kick off their shoes and relax.  
On the south side of Tazmily, located above a cliff that overlooked the sea and and a sleepy seashore, was a small neighborhood of two houses. Freshly built from the ground up, one log-wood home held a new residence; a quaint family of two that had just moved in from the Tazmily Village Square.

One resident was a young girl.

Currently at that time of day, she had been outside putting the rest of clothes on a drying line. Wiping a thin layer of sweat from her brow, she pinned up the last set of her dresses.

"Matilda! Dinner's ready, darling," Her mother's voice yelled from inside. "Also, wash up, because we have some guest over tonight!"

"Yes, mother," Matilda called out.

With a proud smile at her accomplishments, she hastily went inside and headed in the bathing room to give her face a quick rinse.

Timidly cupping a handful of water from a wooden basin, she splashed the water into her face. Refreshing, frigid water stung the features of her face as she cleansed herself. Grabbing a hand towel that hung next to the basin, she dried her face and glanced at the mirror in front of her.  
Her long, primrose colored hair ran down her shoulders. She had porcelain skin, clear of any blemishes. Sapphire eyes mirrored back as she gave a dainty smile and her pink seashell lips curled behind her bright teeth. The rosy dress she wore, slightly large on her because of her small frame, was covered in a few patches of dirt.

Even though Matilda had the feature of delicacy and shyness, she was extremely was quick to anger. A 'hot-chili-pepper-attached-to-a-timebomb' as her mother recalled once. She was also brought up to always do justly, and follow her intuition.

"Matilda," The voice of her mother woke her from the dilly-dally. "Hurry, darling! The guests want to meet you!"

"C-coming!" Matilda called back as she rapidly cleaned her mess and scuttled out. She rushed out into the living room where her mother was chatting with a couple. Upon seeing the strangers, she flushed to a cherry color that almost matched her dress.

_Maybe it's not too late to turn back... _She suddenly thought as she turned around to leave.

"Oh, Matilda! Come meet our guest!" Her mother called, stopping Matilda in her tracks. Matilda let out a inaudible sigh, and turned to face the guests. The couple, a man dressed in heavy western clothing with leathery cowboy boots and a ten gallon hat that covered most of his face, stood next to a comely woman in a crimson, knee-high dress.

"Hello! Well, aren't you a doll?" The woman in the dress cooed.

"U-uh... T-Thank y-you..." Matilda nervously managed out. Matilda's mother let out a light chuckle.

"Matilda is extremely shy. She's been that way since she was younger," Her mother informed. "Matilda, this is Hinawa and Flint. They're our neighbors."

"S-salutations. I'm Matilda." Matilda greeted in a small voice as she gave a stifled curtsy.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Hinawa curtsied back.

Flint tipped the top of his hat. "...'Howdy." He greeted in a gruff voice.

A broad smile cracked on Matilda's face; for some peculiar reason, she felt a comforting sense coming from the couple atmosphere, a quality uncommon in most people.

"Victoria, how old did you say Matilda was?" Hinawa asked Matilda's mother.

"She just turned twelve. How old are your boys?"

"Both are thirteen," Hinawa stated. "Birthdays are such a hassle since they're both on the same day. Presents to get, events to plan-" She abruptly stopped, widening her eyes. "Speaking of boys... Flint, be a darling and get them inside. They need to meet Matilda." Flint tipped his hat, and walked out of the living room.

_Boys? _Matilda felt her knees begin to wobble. _I'm not sure I can handle this much pressure... _She nervously thought.

Not a minute later, Flint back walked in with two boys trailing behind him. The both of them were almost identical to each other, only one boy had blonde hair and the other had auburn. The blonde boy wore a red and yellow striped t-shirt with blue jean shorts, while the auburn haired boy wore a blue and yellow t-shirt with beige shorts.

"Ah, boys," Hinawa began. "Meet Matilda. Isn't she a cutie-patootie?" She bubbled. The boy with blonde hair flushed a scarlet color as he embarrassedly looked down at the ground, but the other boy simply rolled his eyes.

The boy with auburn hair stepped up first. "'Sup! My name is Claus." He held out his hand.

"I-I'm Matilda." Matilda steadily replied as she shook his hand. His gorgeous emerald eyes met hers, making her face get warm. She quickly looked towards elsewhere.

"Pfft! You're just like my brother," Claus snickered. "Always shy and red like a tomato!"

"I-I am not!" The blonde boy objected with a stutter. The boy turned to Matilda with a sheepish grin. "Sorry 'bout him... O-oh! My name is Lucas." Lucas had soft, cerulean eyes that glimmered as he spoke. A kind aura circled around him; the strongest Matilda's ever felt so far.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lucas." Matilda, with a tad more confidence, said.

Matilda's mother clapped her hands together. "Alright! Now that everyone's met each other, how about we have some dinner?"

"We are!" All three bright-eyed children exclaimed in unison.

"I'll help out with the food. You guys will absolutely love my omelets!" Hinawa chimed.

Flint, who usually was silent, added a 'Mm-hmm' in agreement.

"Yeah! Let's go, Matilda!" Both Claus and Lucas grabbed each of her hands and ran towards the kitchen.

Before Matilda could object, the two twins pulled into her where the families had begun to gather around a wood-crafted table.

The dinning room was filled with the sounds of clattering plates against a wooden table and chairs scraping against the floorboards. Golden rays of the evening sunlight peered down through a single window, filling the room with a hazy warmness. Every now and then, a fine breeze would rush through the room and rustle the table cloth like a dress in the wind. Flint, Hinawa, and Matilda's mother chatted while casually drinking ale from hand-carved glasses. Claus and Lucas sat next to each other, gobbling down the golden omelets on their plates. Matilda, who was sitting across the table, blinked her eyes in astonishment as both boys practically breathed their food down.

She looked down at her own plate, hesitant to test the omelette.

"Is it really that good?" Matilda asked Claus.

"Yeah! Try it!" Claus assured. He scooted over next to her and cut a piece of her omelette off, offering to hand feed her.

"...Uh, maybe later-" Matilda stuttered, waving her hands in front of her.

Lucas suddenly planted himself on the other side of her.

"No, no! She probably doesn't like it plain," He also sliced a piece of omelette off, but dipped it in ketchup. "I think it tastes the best with ketchup!" Lucas stated as he held up the egg to her.

Claus shot a glare at Lucas. "Well, I say it tastes better plain!" He argued, shoving the piece of omelette into Matilda's face.

Lucas stubbornly shook his head.

"Well, I say it's better with ketchup!" Lucas pushed the piece of ketchup covered omelette over Claus'.

"Plain!"

"Ketchup!"

"PLAIN!"

"KETC-"

"BOYS!" Hinawa scowled from across the table. Her elegant smile was replaced with a glower.

Matilda emitted out a charming laugh. "It's okay. I'll just have to try both," She grabbed both forks and stuffed the pieces of omelette in her mouth. Perfectly crisped egg with savory sauce combined on her taste buds for an explosion of taste.

"T-that was amazing," Matilda exclaimed with wide eyes. "Mother? Do you think you can make omelets like Mrs. Hinawa?"

"I don't think mine will match up to Hinawa's. Hers are naturally amazing!" Matilda's mother chuckled.

Hinawa smiled upon the flattery. "Oh, well, its nothing! Really!" Her eyes suddenly brightened, as if something sparked a memory.

"Speaking of compliments... Matilda, I hear you have a voice like a angel. Is what your mother said true?" Hinawa curiously batted her eyes at Matilda. All eyes on the table turned to Matilda, awaiting her response. Turning a shade of scarlet, Matilda froze in place like a rabbit caught by a hunter.

"Y-yes. I-I mean, I don't really sing, just... I practice sometimes." She mumbled.

"Ooh! Can you sing in front of us right now? I'd like to hear you." Hinawa politely requested.

"I-I-I... Uh..." Matilda stuttered.

"Go on, darling. You can do it." Her mother encouraged. With those words from her mother, Matilda took a deep breath and obscurely nodded.

"W-well... Alright. But everyone has to look away!" Matilda waited for the eyes to divert. Her mother nodded and gestured for the guests at the table to look elsewhere. Once she felt good and ready, Matilda gave a sudden cough to clear her throat, and began a short melody she'd made up when she was younger:

"_Hero, of old,_

_Awaken to this melody._

_Hero, of old,_

_Need assistance, then follow me..._" Her voice had a mesmerizing effect that allured all who listened closer. A tonic to the ears, her melody was like a siren's captivating song.

"_It is time to prepare for a journey been long foretold!_

_To fight the dark,_

_To live in peace,_

_We strive._"

As she finished, the whole room was at a deathlike silence. All eyes around the table were as wide platters; even Flint lifted his gallon hat in amazement.

_Oh, no! Am I that horrible!? _Matilda wailed in her thoughts.

On spur of the moment, a growing applaud of hands sounded from the other side of the table. Hinawa stood up, clapping with full energy.

"Bravo! Amazing! Spectacular!" Hinawa cheered.

"Beautiful." Flint added with a tip of his hat.

"I knew you had it in you the whole time, darling." Her mother praised.

Lucas and Claus were still stunned after her performance that they hadn't moved an inch. Blinking his green eyes rapidly a few times, Claus awoke first from his trance. He gave an embarrassed cough before speaking.

"W-well, that was pretty cool, I guess." He nonchalantly said as he crossed his arms.

"Thank you. It means a lot when you compliment me." Matilda giggled.

"Yeah? Well, don't expect too much of it," Claus smirked. "Lucas is the pushover in this family, not me!"

About that time, Lucas snapped out of daydreaming.

"Hey! I'm not a pushover!" He interjected.

"Yes, you are. And a baby." Claus jeered.

"Moooooooooooooooom! Claus is being mean!" Lucas yelled.

The rest of the night seemed to fly by like a dream. The moon rose to its highest point in the sky, signaling for the starting phase of the witching hour. Bitter gales of night crept through the opened window, and crickets had proceeded to play their song of the night.

The three adults had tidied up the kitchen area until it was spotless, while the three children spent their time snacking on leftover appetizers. It was until Hinawa saw her Lucas, with a set of heavy eyelids, yawn when she decided that it was probably best to leave.

"I'm afraid it's time for us to start heading home." Hinawa finally announced.

"Aww, mom! Do we have to?" Lucas complained.

Hinawa thought for a moment, putting a finger to her chin.

"Alright. You can stay." She said, plastering a smile.

"Really!?" Lucas and Claus asked in unison.

"No. Now, come on," Hinawa replied to the boys. "Hup-two-three-four! March, misters."

As the family of four began to exit out the front door, Matilda and her mother bade a gracious farewell.

"Mrs. Hinawa and Mr. Flint," Matilda yelled out before they disappeared from sight. "Can I come over tomorrow?"

"Matilda, you're welcome at our home anytime!" Hinawa replied back.

Matilda grinned ecstatically. Not only had she met the lovey neighbors, but she had made new friends in the process.

* * *

Meanwhile...

...On the other side of the Nowhere Islands, a portly boy with platinum-blonde hair that covered over his eyes sat behind his desk, his feet kicked up on top. He wore a black and red pinstripe business suit, specially tailored to his size. A crystal glass containing white wine was held clumsily in his right hand while he jotted down a few things on paper with the other.

A quiet knock on the door interrupted his thoughts as he placed his glass down with force. A few drops splashed onto the table as the glass hit the desk.

"Come in!" The boy barked.

A pink pigmask officer scurried inside, not wasting a moment.

"What the hell do you want!?" The boy impatiently tapped his fingers on the desk.

"W-well, your majesty, I just received notice that Operation Andonuts is complete!" The pigmask managed out.

"Excellent. Get him a lab so he can start working." The boy said.

"Y-yes, your majesty!" The pigmask saluted as he began to take his leave.

"And one more thing..." The boy paused, "Get the men ready. We've got tests to run."

* * *

**A/N: Dun-dun-dunnn!**

**Another dumb story in the making by me~! Hopefully, I can avoid procrastinating (again)! Oh, and I raised Lucas and Claus' age just a bit for later reasons. ^^;;  
**


	2. Chapter 2: Something Special

...

As soon as sun rose over Tazmily Village, the local rooster crowed its song to Tuesday morning. Matilda was still soundly asleep in her bed, tangled in the heaping mess of her covers. A ribbon of sunlight beamed through Matilda's bedroom window, lightly kissing the top of her forehead as she slept.

"Matilda, darling," Her mother called. "Didn't you want to go to Lucas and Claus' house today?" She smiled and waited for a response.

Matilda shot straight up out of bed, almost tripping over her feet as she ran towards her dresser. She had became a tornado of chaos, rushing to prepare herself. Rushing through her clothes, she picked out an blue sundress decorated with tiny frills.

"Y-yeah! I'll be ready in a second!" She answered as she flung her nightgown off and changed into the dress. Sloppily combing her waist long hair behind her, she grabbed her boots and raced outside with bare feet.

"Have fun, darling!" Her mother waved farewell.

"I will, mother! I'll be back later!" Matilda ecstatically replied, racing towards the direction of her neighbors house.

It wasn't long before Matilda came upon the house of Lucas and Claus. Pausing before knocking on the front door, she noticed an oversized brown dog pacing back and forth as if waiting for something.

"Why, hello there!" She greeted the dog. The dog picked up his ears as her voice called over to him.

"Woof bark bark! (Hello, stranger. Aren't you the new kid on the block...?)" The dog began to ask, but looked back towards the front door.

_...Not that you know what I'm saying, nevertheless... Ugh. Lucas better hurry because I'm hungry... _The dog thought.

"But I do know what you're saying **and** thinking," Matilda crossed her arms,"And yes-I'm the new kid. Your name is Boney and you're hungry, right?"

"Woof? Arf bark! (Yeah-Wait, you can hear my thoughts? How can you do that?)" Boney leaned his head to the side.

"I just can. I really don't know how to explain it." Matilda honestly replied.

Even before she could walk, she had the ability to read minds and feel auras. From people to animals, she could glance at whatever was on their mind in any given moment.  
However, she chose to scarcely use the power. She also didn't want others to know of her unique ability, simply because she knew exactly what would happen. Controversy would spread in the small village like wildfire, so she kept her secret with the only person she could trust: her mother.

"Bark woof arf! (A mind reader... That's pretty sweet!)"

"Yep! But don't tell Lucas or Claus," Matilda quickly said. "I don't want them to think I'm some kind of freak..."

"Woof bark bark. (Whatever you say. I can keep a secret.)" Boney nodded.

The front door suddenly swung open, and Lucas appeared in the doorway, holding a bowl of varied table scraps.  
"Boney, what's with all the ruckus-Oh! Hello, Matilda! I see you've met Boney." He looked down at the dog as it bounced around in excitement.

"Woof woof arf bark! (Dude! She can understand my thoughts! Cool huh?)" Boney blurted aloud. Matilda flashed her eyes at Boney.

"Boney! You said you wouldn't tell!" She hissed. Lucas' eyes turned towards Matilda.

"You can understand his thoughts?" He asked in surprise with raised eyebrows.

"W-well...-" She quickly began to explain, "-I can read other's thoughts. Big deal!" She gave a panicked laugh, looking away from his stare.

_Please-don't-think-I'm-weird-Please-don't-think-I'm-weird-Please-don't-think-I'm-wierd... _she ranted in her head. She was too afraid to check his thoughts; She didn't want to be rejected by her new friends.

"That's so cool!" Lucas exclaimed, his blue eyes sparkling in awe.

"W-what? ...You don't think it's..." Matilda paused, gripping the seams of her dress.

"Think what? That you're wierd or something?" He frowned. "Don't think that. I'd never think of you, one of my best friends, like that."

_'Best friends...?' _She knew his words were true, and sense of relief washed over her.

"Okay... Just... Don't tell Claus-" She began.

"-Tell me what? Hey, Matilda!" As if on cue, Claus showed in the doorway next to Lucas.

"Bark woof woof arf! (Yo, Claus! That new girl can read minds.)" Boney said.

"What!? That's so awesome! Okay, I'm thinking of a number between one and ten... Can you guess what it is?" Claus asked. But at that moment, Matilda was sullen at Boney.

"BONEY!" Matilda glowered down at Boney. He gave a low whine as he drooped his head.

"Well, it's too late to apologize now! The cat is out of the bag," She replied, crossing her arms. "And Claus... The number you were thinking of was seven."

"Whoa! That's too cool..." Claus said, entranced at Matilda.

"U-um, t-thanks." She charmingly giggled.

"Now that Matilda is finally here, how about we go to the beach? Or maybe Oshoe Castle?" Lucas suggested.

"Whatever you say." Claus nonchalantly said, shrugging his shoulders.

"The beach! Oh, I love the beach!" Matilda chimed.

"Then it's settled!" Lucas turned towards Boney.

"Would you like to come too, Boney?"

"Bark woof bark! (Would I! I wouldn't miss out going to the beach any day!)" Boney replied as he jumped up and down in excitement.

The sun beating overhead began to heat up the dirt roads when the children passed through to the town square, and pebbles felt like molten bee stings if gotten stuck in their shoes.

It was the perfect summer day to visit the beach. Faint aromas of cooked steak and freshly brewed ale wafted in the air as Thomas' Bazaar came in range along with the very homely Yado Inn. Grumbling, hungry stomachs ached to stop for a quick bite since today was Tuesday, and Tuesday's were the all-hourly buffets. However, there would probably be a platter of perfectly cooked omelet waiting for children once they'd arrive home, so they held their stomachs for a while longer.

The outline of the beach appeared in sight as the group continued westward, and a young boy that looked a bit older than the twins age was kneeling over, using a stick to draw in the sand.

"Yo, Fuel!" Claus called out to the boy.

The brunette boy looked up, his eyes gleaming in attention. He stood up, wiping sand off his hands with his red and white shirt.

"Hey, it's Clausy, Luke and Boney," Fuel greeted. He gave Boney a pat on the head. "Good boy, Boney!"

"Bark bark woof! (Fuel, please stop. Your hand reeks of charcoal.)" Boney complained.

"More? Okay! A little more." Fuel, unknowing Boney wanted the opposite, continued petting his head. Matilda gave a stifled giggle as she watched Boney try to squirm away from Fuel.

He paused, looking to Matilda. "...Oh? Who's the skirt?" Fuel asked, flashing a smile as he leaned in close towards Matilda. In reflex, she stepped behind Claus as her face took hold of scarlet color.

"That's Matilda. She's a _new_ friend." Lucas said, stressing the word 'new'. Fuel gave a big grin.

"Y-yeah. A new friend." Matilda stuttered.

"Whatever you say, dame." Fuel said with a wink.

"Don't call me that..." Matilda growled.

"What? I can call you whatever I want, girlie!" He jeered.

"My name is Matilda and nothing else!" The thin rope holding back her emotion of brutal anger began to split apart.

"Girlie! Girlie! Girlie! Girlie! Gir-"

Before Fuel could react, Matilda's hand swiftly went across his face. A loud clap echoed throughout the area, and a welting red hand mark was left on Fuel's face. Lucas, Claus, and even Boney stared with eyes wide as plates at Fuel and Matilda; It would have never occurred to them she'd be that fiery.

It took a moment for Matilda to realize what she had just done. She looked down at her stinging hand, then to Fuel's face.

"I-I'm so... Sorry..." Matilda managed without spilling into tears. Showered in embarrassment, she did the best thing she could do at the moment to rid of the unwanted attention.  
She ran.

"Wait-Matilda," Claus called out. "...Damn. Fuel, why do you have to be such an idiot!?" He scolded.

"Well, excuse me! I was just trying to have a little fun. I didn't know the girl was a firecracker!" Fuel tried explaining.

"Ugh... Never mind. Lucas and Boney! Go get Matilda while I talk to the jester here. Got it?" Claus ordered.

"Got it!" Lucas replied, running off towards the direction Matilda went as Boney trailed behind.

On the other side of the seashore, Matilda slumped next to a wooden fence. She sighed, looking across the glimmering ocean. Her boots lay next to her as she sat, digging her feet in the soft sand. Every so often, a tropical breeze would ripple through her golden hair, carrying the salty scent of the ocean mist.

"Why do I have be such a fool!? They probably don't want to be friends with me anymore..." She groaned, kicking sand in the air with her foot.

Unluckily for her, a strong gale blew at that moment. The cloud of sand flew straight into her face.

"Aieeee!" She cried out, rubbing grains of sand from her burning eyes.

"...I'm such an idiot-" She muttered to herself.

"Don't call yourself that..." A reassuring voice appeared from beside her. She turned around to face a worried Lucas and Boney.

"How can I not call myself an idiot? I hit your friend!" She quickly responded, clenching up her fists.

"Well, he deserved it," Lucas looked towards the ocean. "...And he'll sure respect you now."

"Respect me? How?" She unclenched.

"Just trust me. He's like that." His eyes shone, reflecting the image of the ocean.

"Bark! (He likes to tease new friends.)" Boney nodded.

In the distance, Claus and Fuel came running. Fuel had a guilty expression plastered over his face, which must have meant Claus straightened up the problem.

"Lucas! Is she alright?" Claus asked, lifting an eyebrow. Lucas stood up and dusted sand off his shorts.

"Yeah. A little shaky and covered in sand, but alright." Lucas said with a nod.

Claus held out a hand, letting Matilda grab on. He hoisted her next to his side, and she clutched on to him as if he was the last stable piece of land on the entire face of the planet.

"Thanks, Claus..." She murmured, placing her delicate head on his shoulder. Next to him, she had a sense of everlasting comfort.

"N-not a problem!" He grinned, turning a tint of pink.

Giving a polite cough, Fuel stepped up next to Matilda.

"I think I owe you an apology..." He bit his lower lip, frowning.

"It's fine. In fact, I should apologize for hitting you earlier..." Matilda shook her head. "It was very unacceptable of me."

"That lil' tap on the face? I'll be okay." Fuel laughed.

Matilda sighed in relief. She was glad he wasn't going to hold that against her.

"Well, now that all is settled and over with, who wants to go play tag? First one it is Fuel!" Lucas called as he ran off in a different direction. Boney, Matilda, and Claus scattered away from Fuel.

"H-hey! Why do I have to be it, consarnit!" Fuel whined.

"'Cause you owe us!" Claus said.

"I don't owe you a damn thing!" He pouted. "...In that case, I'm coming after you first, Claus!"

Fuel shot off, running towards Claus. He dug his heels out of the sand, uplifting particles of grain to the air. His feet clumsily slipped through the golden sand as he zoomed towards Claus. Fuel continuously chased Claus around the beach until he cornered him next to the fence Matilda had been sitting next to, and tackled him down to the ground.

"Gotcha!" Fuel said to Claus. Claus then stood up, looking for closest prey. In the corner of his eye, he spotted Lucas hiding behind the fence. The group continued to relentlessly run around the beach, leaving footprints all in the sand.

And so it seemed like a minute later, the breaking of the evening sun filled the sky and reflecting across the entire ocean. Fuel bided his farewells, deciding to return home to his father, Lighter the carpenter. A tired Matilda, Lucas, Claus, and Boney all trudged toward their homes, eager to either gobble down a plate of food or jump into bed; whichever came first didn't matter.  
Lucas and Boney rushed inside their house, but Claus stayed behind with Matilda. He had a pink tint to his face and stood as if he were hiding something behind him.

A ray of sunlight beamed across their faces, and a faint gale blew against them. Matilda hugged the bottom of her dress as the wind tussled it around.

"I made somethin' for you..." Claus looked around as if someone in the peaceful town of Tazmily could be listening in. Matilda had never seen him act so nervous before. In fact, it wasn't Claus at all to be nervous.

"Y-you made something for me?" Matilda asked. Their gazes met and locked, sweeping her out of reality on a tidal wave of emotion. She not only lost her train of thought, she lost all coordination.

"U-uh... Yeah! H-here." He barely managed to reply, and revealed what he was hiding behind his back; in his hand, he held a hand-made bracelet with pink seashells collected from the beach they had earlier visited. She gasped.

"This is truly the most beautiful gift I've ever gotten..." Her eyes glimmered as she took the bracelet in her hand. "I'll always wear this. Thank you, Claus..."

"I-it's nothing really!" He grinned, running his fingers through his amber hair.

"Of course it's something, silly." Matilda said, slipping the bracelet on.

In the distance, her mother's voice rang a reminder.

"Oh, my mother is calling for me... See you on the 'morrow, okay?" Matilda began to leave.

"Wait! Matilda... I shoulda told you this earlier, but..."Claus sighed, looking down.

"What?"

"Lucas, me, and my mom are going to stay at my gramps' house in Mt. Oriander for a couple of weeks. Boney and my dad are staying here."

"Claus! Why didn't you tell me this before?" Matilda frowned and crossed her arms.

"Because I knew you'd act this way." He grinned.

"Well, I'm fine! I'll have you know I can handle a few weeks with you and Lucas gone. Maybe I'll just keep Boney or Fuel company!" She stuck her nose high up in the air as if she was trying to balance an invisible object on her chin.

"Keep Fuel company?" Claus lifted a single brow.

"...Maybe, I said maybe," Matilda gave a dainty smile. "Good bye, Claus. Promise you'll be back soon?"

"I promise."

He hesitated to move at first, almost as if it pained him to leave. With a glum smile, he turned on his heels and scampered off towards his house.

_What a guy... _Matilda bubbled to herself, admiring the new trinket on her wrist.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for Fuel's personality. It just sorta... happened.  
****By the by, if anybody spots the name "Rinta" anywhere in the story, tell me so I can fix it. There was a slight name change a bit after I started writing. (`~`; **


	3. Chapter 3: F-F-Fire?

Matilda yawned as she continued to look out her bedroom window. It had been at least twelve days since the twins and their mother had left to Mt. Oriander, but word on the wind had it that they would be returning this evening. She had been restlessly gazing out her window since the crack of dawn, waiting until the moment they'd arrive. Occasionally, she would glance down at her bracelet or count how many clouds there were in the sky. Seconds, minutes, and hours passed as she sat waiting.

Night soon approached, and the boys still hadn't shown yet.  
Matilda had sprawled over her bed, deep in slumber. She had gotten tired of staring into space, and decided rest.

"FIREEEEEEEE! FIREEEEEEEE! FIRE IN SUNSHINE FOREST!" A voice outside yelled harmoniously with a siren.

Thomas, fireman of Tazmily and proprietor of the local bazaar, was running throughout the town with a windup siren.

"FIRE! WE NEED HELPPPPP!" Thomas' bellowing became louder as he come closer to Matilda's and the twins' house.

The shrill noise woke Matilda with a start. She rolled out of bed, falling to the ground with covers and all.  
"M-mother! What's happening...?" Matilda hazily called out, freeing herself from the fallen covers.

_Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump._

Footsteps were heard outside of her doorway, and her mother slammed open the doorway. Her short blonde hair, usually combed neatly to the side, was in a disoriented mess. It was if she, too, had been rudely awoken by the siren.

"Matilda! Get up! Get up," She said, grabbing her daughter by the hand. "Sunshine Forest is on fire!"

"Sunshine Forest!?" Matilda gasped. Her mother nodded.

That was were Fuel and his father lived. Even though Fuel could be a bit of a jerk at times, she didn't want anything bad to happen to him. He was a newfound friend in her eyes.

She and her mother hastily left their home, heading towards the Tazmily village square. Once there, they were greeted by a hellish nightmare of chaos.  
The night sky had an ember light coming from the heart of the forest and was visible from the town square. An intoxicating scent of burning wood and smoke wafted the air, making breathing a difficulty.  
A few residents of Tazmily, a gossiping trio known by the names of Brenda, Jill, and Lisa, panicked about the situation as they stood in front of a water well.

"They say Sunshine Forest is on fire... If that's true, we'd better get our butts out of here before the fire engulfs our village, too!" Brenda said, waving her arms wildly in the air. This excited a few villagers more, and a few panicked murmurs were heard.

Heavy steps echoed on the paved ground as Flint entered the square with Thomas trailing behind.

"Thomas," Lisa called. "What are you running around acting like a siren for?! Honestly, now! You'd better not cause too much trouble for Mr. Flint." Thomas gave his wife a nervous shrug as he continued to sprint behind Flint. They'd both seemed to be in a hurry.

Matilda watched as Thomas and Flint ran north where Leder, a giant man who never spoke, tolled a golden bell.

"Poor, Flint... He must be walking on eggshells." Jill sadly commented as soon as both men were out of sight.

"Oh?" Matilda's mother asked.

"Why, you don't know?" Jill frowned.

"No. What's happened?"

"Well, since Sunshine Forest is on fire, Hinawa and the kids are trapped on the other side of the island. But the main concern right now is Fuel and Lighter. Their house is smack-dab in the middle of the fire, and I haven't seen either of them." Jill replied in solemn voice.

Matilda's ears perked up.

_Oh, no... Will they be alright? _She thought, knitting her brow.

"All our hope is with Mr. Flint, since he's really strong. I'm sure he'll save the day!" Brenda added.

For some particular reason, Matilda didn't understand why they were relying on Flint like he was their golden opportunity. She thought the whole idea was completely unfair.

"-Hold on," Matilda began, "So... All of you are going to do nothing?" She raised an eyebrow. The lot of them remained quiet.

"That's what we can only do at the moment. Just wait and hope things turn out for the best..." Brenda replied.

Matilda turned to her mother. "We're going to help... Right, mother? There's something, anything we can possibly help out on!" Her mother looked up at the night sky, then back at her daughter.

"It's too dangerous for us to intervene... It'd be best for us to sit this one out, darling." She quietly responded, biting the bottom of her lip.

"What!? But, mother-"

"No, Matilda. I don't want you to get hurt." Her mother said in a stern voice.

Matilda turned away, grinding her teeth in anger. If her mother wouldn't let her go, she'd just go by herself, she thought angrily. Besides, she'd rather risk her life saving others than sitting in the sidelines like a fool.

As her mother resumed chatting with the group of women, Matilda decided to take matters in her own hands. She slipped into the shadows of the buildings and began to follow down the smoggy trail to Sunshine Forest.

* * *

**Meanwhile in a smoke-filled Sunshine Forest...**

"YEEEEAAAK! A bat!" Thomas scurried behind Flint as a Mr. Batty, a bat no bigger than a hand, blocked the way.

With a few swings of the stick he held in his hand, Flint knocked the bat out of the way. As he reappeared next to Flint, Thomas gave a short quiver.

"Phew... I thought we were goners for sure!" Thomas said. Flint gave an unamused stare at Thomas.

"Uh, Thomas..." Flint began.

"Yes?"

"Yammonster."

"What?"

"_Yammonster_." Flint pointed behind Thomas.

A pint-sized yam that was buried in the ground opened it's single eye at the two men. Scratching a few times at the ground, it uprooted itself and emitted a low growl.

"AHHH! TAKE THIS, YOU EVIL SCUM!" Thomas threw a pebble at the yam.

Seeing it did no avail, Thomas tried a different tactic.

"I'm so very sorry, Mr. Yam. Please have mercy and don't eat me..." Thomas apologized profusely.

Flint held back a stifled grin as he watched the pitiful man kneel before the yam, clasping his hands together. The apologizing didn't work either, and the trivial plant attempted to swing one of its roots at Thomas. Thomas yelped in fear and rolled behind Flint.

Once again, Flint took the stick he held in his hand and swung. This time, he put all his energy behind him and released it with a single strike.

It was a risky move that would usually miss, but Flint had timed it just right.

_SMAAAASH!_

The yam flew backwards from the impact, and didn't move again.

"Let's keep moving before we burn up in this heat." Flint said with a tip of his hat. Thomas nodded.

The duo fled through the forest with hot feet, dodging falling branches that fell from the flaming trees above. Feelings of claustrophobia from the sweltering heat would strike anyone who would step foot in the forest, but Flint and Thomas were beyond worrying about the means of temperature.

"Flint, look!" Thomas halted, and pointed ahead.

Before them was what looked like a pink uniformed officer in a pig mask. The Pigmask officer had a box in his hands with a 'CAUTION! DO NOT OPEN!' sign posted on it's side.  
The Pigmask opened the box, and minuscule bugs flew out in a spiral formation and into different sections of the forest. Once the job was done, he retreated into the embers of the forest.

"Do you think that pig thing was human, Flint?" Thomas asked.

Flint shrugged. But whatever it was had just released some type of bug into the forest.

Just before they decided to continue on, a weary voice called out.  
"F-Flint... Thomas..." The barely audible voice came a set of nearby bushes.

"Lighter!?" Thomas and Flint dug around the singed area, only to find Lighter, the father of Fuel, laying on the ground.

"...Uuuugh... Those b-bugs attacked me... They're lightin' the whole damn forest on fire..." He grunted, his face twisting into pain. "And my son... H-he's still at home..."

"Flint! I'll stay with Lighter while you go find Fuel."

Flint nodded and continued towards Lighter's house. By the time he would arrive, hopefully Fuel would still be alright...

* * *

**Nearly** tripping over a fallen branch, a tired Matilda stopped by a barren tree. She leaned against the bark, pressing its rough edges against her skin_._

_Darn it! I should've gotten a map from Mapson! _Matilda scanned around the area. The Oriander cliffs stood in front of her, and chalky red gravel indicated the start of Sunshine Valley's pathway. Muffled frog croaks came from a nearby river that lazily flowed along the side of pathway. The scent of burning trees had lessened as she wandered deeper into the unfamiliar area.

_Goodness, I should've gotten a map! _She repeated in her head as paused near the river.

"Ribbit! (You seem lost.)" A voice from the steam croaked. Matilda glanced down at the clear waters.

A pale colored frog with a beady eyes looked up out of the water at her.

"Why, yes. I'm quite lost... Could you give me directions to Fuel's house? Or back to Tazmily Square?" She asked.

"Ribbit... Ribbit! (Errr- I'm not sure about that one... You might have to ask the nice person who lives in the house over there.)" The frog turned its head, looking across the river.

"H-how am I going to get over there? I'm not going to swim..." Matilda frowned.

"Ribbit! (Don't worry! I'll carry you across, with some help, of course."

With that said, the frog swam into the middle of the river. Three other frogs surfaced from the water, and lined up side by side. They made a pathway for her to reach the other side.

"Ribbit-Croak! (Now... Don't be afraid to step on us!)" The middle frog assured. She nodded. Hesitant at first, she began to leap across the unsteady platforms.

On the other side, the silhouette of a house appeared into view. Made of an enormous pink shell, the shell house stood in the middle of a crystal-blue pond with pink stepping stones that led to the front door. The house looked like it had came directly from a child's fairy-tale book.

Matilda sprinted towards the front door. She knocked on the porcelain-like door, and waited.

_And waited._

She stood at the door for a solid five minutes. Nothing.

Matilda sighed, and left the front entrance. How was she to find her way now?

Light laughter shook her from the thought. She glanced around the house, and noticed a small hot spring across the way. A cloud of thick steam hovered over the water, and two figures unidentifiable by the steam splashed around in the waters. One silhouette was hulking and broad, while the other was short and slender.

Matilda skipped over to the spring, hopping back over the stepping stones. Just as she approached the steamy spring, she spotted two piles of clothes laying on the ground: a green dress next to purple overalls.

She broke into a sweat. _Oh, gosh... I should just turn around..._

"Why, hello~!" A deep voice called from the steam.

"Ooh, what unexpected timing for a visitor! The party hasn't even started yet~!" A slightly higher voice added.

The steam cleared, revealing two very masculine looking women (or feminine looking men). They sat in the springs at ease, as if they didn't care that a stranger had just came out of nowhere. One woman has black sunglasses on, her pink hair braided neatly behind her. She had a buff structure compared to the woman next to her. Slightly balding in her short pink hair, the skinnier woman wore green earrings that jingled every time she move her head.

Matilda reddened in the face. Turning on her heels, she swiveled around to leave.

"Don't be shy! Won't you come join us?" The smaller woman said, stopping Matilda in her tracks.

"Oh, Ionia! She's probably in a hurry, the poor thing. The forest fire's gotten everyone on the tips of their toes." The large woman commented.

"Well, at least dip your tired feet in. This water works miracles~!" Ionia said, leaning back in the water.

Lacking confidence, Matilda edged back towards the hot spring. She clutched the seams of her dress, making sure the dress didn't creep up as she sat down next to the water. She untied her leather boots, and gently touched the surface of the water with her big toe. Not too hot and at a perfect temperature, she relaxed her legs into the water.

"H-Hello," Matilda meekly smiled as she wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. Once again, she had a comforting sense with their auras. Both were warm, friendly, but most of all, powerful; an aura she only sensed with Lucas and Claus.

"Hello, sweetie~! I'm Doria, one of the Magypsies." The bulky woman said, fixing her black sunglasses.

"And I'm Ionia, and I'm also a Magypsy~!" Ionia announced with a smile.

"I'm Matilda. It's a pleasure to meet the both of you... But I don't really remember what a Magypsy is. It escapes my mind." Matilda shrugged.

Doria suddenly lifted her eyebrows as if she had just been told shocking new.

"Why, we Magypsies are a race of seven with mysterious powers, that's neither man nor woman, or special beings as I call it. We've lived for millenniums, guarding the Seven Needles~!"

"_The_ Seven Needles?" Matilda leaned her head to the side. Her eyes widened.

_That's right! The legend of the Dark Dragon!_

_An ancient time ago, a Dragon once lived in harmony with humans, but as time passed and as mankind grew advanced, their bond grew distant; as a result, the Dragon was put to sleep using seven needles that are guarded by the current Magypsies because its power was too great for humans to control._

_The Dragon itself is said to be the vessel of the power of the very earth itself, and, while its own powers are not described at length, its tremendous flow of energy allowing the continued existence of the Nowhere Islands after the destruction of the world, and legends of it capable of even restoring the world after its end, are testaments to its untold and incredible power._

_So long as the Dragon is asleep, the Nowhere Islands are free from disaster. A Magypsy prophecy, however, says that someday someone who can wake the Dragon will appear "when its power is needed."_

"Bingo, sweetie-pie~!" Ionia giggled.

"It's good to know that there are still some humans who read up on the seven needles." Doria said.

"Well... I found the subject interesting. I mean, a dragon? Sleeping underneath Nowhere Islands? It's amazing..." Matilda sighed.

A silent moment broke out between the trio. Ionia and Doria relaxed deeper into the soothing waters as Matilda sat by, tracing the surface of the water with her fingertips, deep in thought. The faint crackling of burning wood was almost droned out by the chirping of molecrickets.

_Crack-Boom! _

From the grey clouds above, a flash of lightning appeared in the sky, followed by a rumble of thunder.

_Rain...? That means the forest will be fine... And Fuel!_

"So, Matilda," Doria began, shifting into a new topic. "What brings you over to this neck of the woods?"

"Oh, yes," Matilda recalled, "I'm lost, you see. I was trying to find a friend's house in Sunshine forest, but here I am, almost in Sushine _valley_."

"Odd. I took it that you were replenishing your PSI." Ionia said.

"What's PSI?" Matilda questioned.

"...Oh? You've never heard of PSI? ...That's odd. I sense tons of magical power coming from you..." Ionia looked towards Doria. "Quite scary, actually. Do you feel it, Doria?"

"Mmhmm! I've felt it since she crossed the river..." Doria agreed.

"Actually, I'm curious to how this will turn out, but..." Ionia paused in thought. "Matilda, sweetie, could you dip your head in the water for thirty seconds~?"

"T-thirty seconds!? Wait-!" Without hesitation, Ionia grabbed one of Matilda's legs, pulling her under the water, fully clothed and all.

Her lungs tightened as the sudden pressure of hot water surrounded her. She flailed her arms out, reaching out to grab anything that could get her to salvation, but only grabbed handfuls of air bubbles and water. She clawed, scraped, punched with all her effort until oxygen was no more.

Her vision began to cloud, transporting her into a haze-like dream.

* * *

_"Wh-where am I?"_ Matilda rubbed her eyes, looking around.

She was surrounded by total darkness, with only a dim light illuminating from the center of her chest. She was completely alone; Ionia and Doria were nowhere to be found.  
Looking down at the light, she sighed. At least the light gave her a sense of comfort in the dreaded dark.

Slowly before her eyes, five images of herself began to take form in the black void. Each held an element in the palms of their hand: a blue flame, a shard of ice, a white bolt of lightning, a rock, and one last element that hadn't finished forming; it was a pure mass of energy, held together in the palm of the last images' hand.

_"PK Fire, PK Freeze, PK Thunder, and PK Ground. These are the PSI powers to be __**fully **awakened inside you." _The identical images of her chanted in unison.

"But what is that power?" Matilda pointed towards the final element.

_"That is a catastrophic PSI power. It's powerful enough to take down an army, if one preferred... Hopefully, you will never have to learn this destructive power."_

The light she was emitting began to shine brighter and brighter. Soon, every inch of darkness was replaced with her blinding light.  
Before being completely engulfed in light, two masculine arms pulled Matilda out of the dreamy void.

* * *

"Welcome back, Matilda-poo~!" Ionia said as Matilda flailed out of the water, gasping for air. She balanced herself by the edge of the hot spring, her chest rapidly heaving in and out.

"How did it go? I want to know _all_ the juicy details~!" Doria added, putting her hands to her cheeks.

Matilda closed her eyes, shaking her head. "It was odd... PSI powers and whatnot. But... Now, I feel like something's-"

"-Awakened in you?" Ionia raised a brow. Matilda nodded.

She looked down at the palm of her hand as she closed it into a fist. Energy pulsed through her arm, building in her balled hand. Cracking her hand slightly open, a blue flame the size of a human head burst into her palm.

"Oh my goodness! A fire! What do I do!?" Matilda panicked, waving her blue fire in the air wildly. Both Doria and Ionia squealed as they wadded away for cover.

"Eeek! What do you think you should do!?" Doria hastily paddled to the other side of the spring, covering her head. "Just don't wave that thing at me, will ya?"

"I don't know! Umm_... PK Fire!_" The ball of fire shot from her hand and spiraled into the air. Breaking apart into multiple fireballs, the blast of fire curved downward and hit a group of trees. Instantaneously, the stricken trees began to turn to ash.

The two Magypsies were awestruck. Doria lifted her sunshades up, glancing at the ash being carried into the the wind. Ionia's face was frozen in a position where her lips formed into a tiny 'o'.

"What... just...happened?" Matilda managed to utter in the confusion.

"You realized your PSI, and it's _unbelievably_ strong~! Doria, did you see that fire? It was blue as a sapphire!" Ionia rapidly said in excitement. Doria nodded.

"Ah, Ionia! You also know what this means? Kumatora will have a playmate, the little darling~!" Doria said.

"No, no. Are you kidding me? Kumatora and Matilda would be like mixing oil with water! Matilda is much too frail."

"Whatever. You must be a blind bat because you didn't see that blast of pure PK Fire _omega_ that flew outta the girl's hand. With one hand, mind you. It took Kumatora a month to control PK Fire alpha with _two_ hands."

"Well, you're right about that..." Ionia paused, "But, still..." She glanced over towards Matilda, who had climbed out of the spring. She sat on the uneven ground, her damp dress clinging to her skin as she shivered.

"Oh, my! Matilda, why don't you rest up in the house over there? Doria and I will get you a refreshing cup of tea while you dry," She gestured toward the shell house. "Go on, now. Knock on the door."

"But I tried knocking earlier and nobody answered..." Matilda explained.

"That lazy good-for-nothing! I told Aeolia to keep an ear out for the other magypsies-" Doria began, but was cut off by the a monstrous-like noise.

A shrill growl filled the sky, loud enough to rumble the ground. An unearthly scream soon followed, leaving an eerie echo throughout Sunshine valley.  
It was the scream of a woman with a strikingly familiar voice...

"I don't know what that was, but it sounded terrifying! Hurry, let's get outta here!" Doria quickly said she and Ionia began standing up from the waters. Matilda turned her head away in reflex.

"-Wahhh! Wait! Let me turn around before you both get out!" She exclaimed, covering her eyes with her hands.

"Oh, whatever~! We've got our towels on, darling," Ionia said with a giggle. She and Doria had wrapped themselves into pink towels that appeared to be extremely fuzzy.

"Let's go inside, post haste!" Doria said, scampering towards the shell house with Ionia and Matilda following close behind.

* * *

_** Back in Sunshine Forest...**_

Flint and Fuel stood before Lighter's house as it crumbled to the ground as rubble and ash.  
Not a moment long ago, Flint had rushed into the burning house and retrieved Fuel just before it toppled on top of him. If he would have gotten there too late, Fuel would have gotten flattened. Not to mention all the yams, batties, fireflies, and flying mice he had pummel through earlier and take up extra time.

"Mr. Flint! We should get going now..." A soot covered Fuel reminded. "Bleck! I'm all dirty... Now my dad's gonna make me hafta shower!"

Flint nodded, tipping his soot-covered hat. He, too, was covered from head to toe in soot.

That hour of the night seemed to flash by in an instant. Flint had escorted Fuel back to his father, Lighter, who had been slightly injured during the forest fire. A light rain began, as if by miracle, and the forest fire started to die down. Flint then headed for Yado Inn, deciding to take a rest, but shortly left as soon as he arrived.

"_Hey, Flint._" A raspy voice called from behind as Flint exited Yado Inn; It was Isaac, one of the villagers who lived near the outskirts of the forest.

"Yes, Isaac?"

"Has Hinawa and the kids returned yet?"

Flint remained silent. _Hinawa and the kids... Maybe they're at the house by now... _

"I don't want to alarm you, but I was picking mushrooms in the mountains earlier, and... I heard roars coming from what I think was a drago. After that... I heard... screams." Isaac said, wiping a few drops of rain from his glasses. "Flint. I just have a bad feeling..."

With a silent tip of his hat, Flint went speeding off towards his house.

_Don't worry. Hinawa and the kids are safe. They made it back safe. Once you get home, Hinawa will probably be waiting at the door, and the kids will be inside playing... _Flint reassured himself.

He stopped in front of his doorstep. Hinawa wasn't there waiting for him. He looked through one of the windows of the house; Inside was as exactly the same as he had left it.

They hadn't returned...

_"Coooo-cooo!" _

A carrier pigeon swooped down, dropping a letter. Flint rushed to pick it up, opening it without haste.

It was from Hinawa, written earlier that morning.

As he read read through, a determined smile cracked on his face.

"_Don't worry Hinawa... I'm coming._"

* * *

**A/N: Soooo... What do ya think? Good?**

**Oh! ****Magypsies might have a more motherly appeal in the story, but I can change it if anybody has a serious problem.**

**Gosh, now that I think about it, this is gonna be a bit of an extended series (for me at least)! **


	4. Chapter 4: Keeping Our Heads Held High

Flint stuffed the handwritten letter from Hinawa into his pocket. Taking a slow inhale of the nighttime air, he turned on the heels of boots, leaving the front of the house in silence.

"Bark! (Hey, Flint! Wait for me!)" Boney scampered out from his doghouse. Flint didn't object; He could use all the help he could get.

He navigated into Tazmily Square with Boney at his heels. The harsh, frigid rain pattered against the concrete in harmony with their footsteps. A few hours after the merciful rain had started, the forest fire had died down. Only a solemn tension kept the villagers from obtaining true peace: the disappearance of Hinawa and the kids. Everyone was concerned about their safety.

On the way over, a few of the townspeople, Paul and Abbot, had gathered in the square.

"Hey, Flint," Abbot called out as he poured rain water out of his straw sun hat. "We wanna help you find Hinawa and the kids! My wife Abby is rounding up some more people to start a search party."

"Yeah! And we're not gonna stop searching until they're found!" Paul added with an assuring smile. Flint gratefully tipped his hat as he and Boney continued into the remains of Sunshine Forest.

Since the fire burned a mass amount of trees down, new pathways had opened up, such as the one leading towards Sunshine Valley.

Eventually, the duo came upon Bronson, the village blacksmith and sheriff, by a steep crag filled with claw-marks. He was gaping at a couple of torn down trees that scattered around the area, tossed to the side like abandoned toys. It appeared as if the trees had been snapped right in two.

"H-hey, Flint! Take a look at these set of trees here. What do you think could have made such a mess?" Bronson questioned in amazement. Flint shrugged.

"A Drago maybe? Naw... They'd never do such a thing."

Flint glanced around the area. The rest of the pathway was blocked by the torn-down trees, which meant they were going to have to search for a different path to take.

_"Awooooo!" _Boney excitedly jumped up and down, lifting his head towards the cliff. Something had caused him to react with a great outburst.

"...What's the matter, boy?" Flint knelt down next to Boney, trying to coax him.

"_My, God..._" Bronson silently uttered as he squinted his eyes at the cliffs. "Do you see it Flint? It's... It's..."

Perched high on the top of the cliff, a scrap of cloth hung on a barren tree, gracefully dancing with the wind.

It was the same color as Hinawa's dress...

At a loss of words, Flint staggered towards the steep cliff. He paused in front of the cliff and placed a hand on the wall of rock, as if looking for a reasonable place to climb.

"Now, Flint! A little extreme of you, isn't it?" A stark voice announced from behind; It was old man Wess, a thief expertise who lived in the side eastern of Tazmily.

Wess observed the cliff for a moment, making an occasional nod with his head.

"Hmm... Yes! I know _exactly_ who to call for this situation..." Wess concluded, turning towards Boney, "Here, boy. Go fetch Duster, that lazy son of mine. Once he sees this rag, he'll know exactly what to do!" He tied an orange cloth around Boney's neck.

Boney gave a confident bark and began to run as fast his four legs could carry him through the forest.

The storm was still raging on. Rain drummed against the beaten pathway back to Tazmily. Wind wailed between distorted trunks, carrying the sickly stink of charred wood.  
Boney's small heart pounded against his rib cage as he ran what felt like a miles worth to Wess' house. He barged through the front door, only to find Duster, tightly wrapped in warm covers and fast asleep in a bed.

"Bark! Bark, arf! (Hey! Wake up!)" Boney yapped loudly, attempting to wake the young man. Duster softly sighed in his sleep, and shifted around in his bed.

"Woof arf bark! (Duster, get up! Hey, c'mon! Can Tazmily's destiny _really_ depend on such a lazy guy?!)"

No response. Fantastic.

"Arf! (Fine! If that's how it's gonna be...)" Boney bit the back of Duster's shirt collar and pulled with great force.

_Thud-Thump!_

Duster's body came crashing down and hit the floor, hard. He landed on the back of his head, causing him to slightly stir.

"Mmhmm... I'll take two cheese blocks, madame..." He gurgled, half-awake.

Boney growled as he slowly drug Duster out of the house and towards the direction of Wess and Flint. First he had to sprint across the forest in the rain and now he has to drag this guy all the way back into Sunshine Forest?

"Mmf-Bark! (I better be gettin' a biscuit after all this!)" Boney muffled a complain as Duster loudly snored in response. It was going to be a long journey in the rain...

* * *

_**Back inside the pink seashell house, things weren't looking so great...**_

"Doria! Ionia! What is the meaning of this, bringing a human to my house? I'm in the middle of preparing a party... And why aren't you two wearing make-up?" A rather small-structured magypsy perched high on a recliner fixed her pink afro in agitation. She wore a rose-colored bathrobe with white frills, short enough to reveal her unshaven legs.

_Uh, oh. Looks I might be intruding here. _Matilda silently thought as she watched the magypsies squabble.

"Oh, Aeolia! It'll just be for a little bit! It just started raining outside, and before we left, there was a frightful noise coming from the valley! Just let the darling stay, at least until she dries up..." Ionia said as she applied a layer of make-up in the mirror with Doria by her side. They both had changed back into their normal clothing; Doria wore violet overalls and biker boots while Ionia wore a green dress with pumps.

"Look... I'm really sorry if I'm interrupting something. I-I'll just go-" Matilda nervously apologized.

"I never said you had to leave _right_ now. You can stay until the rain stops, or whatever. Enjoy yourself to some treats on the table if you want." Aeolia said, shifting in her chair.

"Thank you, Miss Aeolia." Matilda gratefully curtsied.

She turned towards the center of the room. Another magypsy sat at a marble table filled with pastries and candies, sipping tea from a tiny porcelain cup. She wore a lengthy blue dress and had roseate hair that flowed behind her. Compared to the other magypsies so far, she seemed the most feminine looking, albeit the five o'clock stubble growing on her chin.

Matilda walked over and plopped herself in a chair next to the magypsy.

"O-oh, why, hello~! You must be Matilda. Doria and Ionia have told me all about you. I'm Mixolydia, but you can call me Missy." Missy said with curt giggle as she set her cup of tea down.

"Nice to meet you, Missy." Matilda exchanged a dainty smile.

"So..." Missy lowered her voice to a whisper, "How did you do it, darling? Just curious!" She asked excitedly, leaning forward in her chair.

"...Do what?" Matilda blankly asked.

"Come, now! That brilliant blast of PK Fire omega. It was blue, for heaven's sake! How did you do it?"

"I-I, uh, dunno. Beats me..." Matilda shrugged. "It just... happened." The excitement deflated in Missy as she sank into her chair, crossing her arms.

"Damn! I'd like to have a fabulous blue fire, too..." She grumbled with a pout.

There was a sudden loud clattering of porcelain dishes. A moment later, Ionia walked over to the table holding a tea cup and dish. She placed the set in front of Matilda, and sat down.

"Here you go, darling. Help yourself to some magic gelatin or tarts, as well." She grabbed a teapot and poured steaming water into the cup then dropped a bag of tea leaves into the water. Matilda patiently watched as Ionia added a spoonful of honey and a dash of sugar. Ionia then scooted the tea cup to Matilda, motioning for her to drink.  
Hesitant at first, Matilda blew a few plumes of steam that wafted over the cup and took a brief swig.

"Ahh... That was really good! Thanks, Ionia. Now, I just feel like I wanna siiiiiiing~!" Matilda chirped.

"You can sing, too!? Well, aren't you just a full of surprises!" Ionia lightly chuckled.

"Go on ahead! I want to hear you sing, too, darling!" Mixolydia said, clapping her hands together.

Eyeing over with interest, Aeolia and Doria had silenced in their conversation with two other magypsies that Matilda had failed to notice earlier. One magypsy had short pink hair, partly covered by an orange cap and wore an orange dress to match. She also had a very large nose. The other was almost completely bald, with the exception of around the bottom and the back of her head. She wore a yellow, puffy coat with a white trim, and held a white rabbit in her arms.

_Alright, no need to be shy now... I've done this before... _Matilda meekly smiled as she gripped the edge of dress.

She closed her eyes and slowly exhaled, listening to her current surroundings; She could hear every magypsy in the room breathing, a faint ticking of a clock, the rain pattering against the house, and the thumping of her own heart.

_Tha-thump-Tha-thump-Tha-thump_...

Her heart... Yes! Her heart!

Matilda began her melody with a mellow beat, going along with the rhythm of her own heartbeat:

"_Pick apart_  
_The pieces of your heart_  
_And let me peer inside_  
_Let me in_  
_Where only your thoughts have been_  
_Let me occupy your mind_  
_As you do mine..._

_You have lost_  
_Too much love_  
_To fear, doubt and distrust._  
_Its not enough_  
_You just threw away the key_  
_To your heart_

_You don't get burned_  
_'Cause nothing gets through_  
_It makes it easier_  
_Easier on you_  
_But that much more difficult for me_  
_To make you see_

_Love ain't fair_  
_So there you are_  
_My love..."_

Matilda ceased the serenade and bowed her head. The magypsies in the room exchanged awed and excited looks to each other, impressed with her performance.

"Oh, my! Darling, that love song was just... Lovely!" Ionia gushed.

"Mmhmm. You know, with that talent of yours, you can easily win the heart of any man you want! Oooh, so lucky! I wish I could make sweet music like that!" Mixolydia said with a grin.

_Win the heart of any man? Does that mean...? _Matilda flustered at the thought. Did she, a simple country girl of Tazmily, even have a chance at winning any hearts?

"M-my voice isn't all that..." She lowered her voice to where it was almost inaudible, "...Besides. I really don't think he likes me."

"I KNEW IT!" Doria slammed her hand on the table, causing Ionia, Mixolydia, and Matilda to flinch in reflex. "Spill the beans, woman. Who is he?"

Matilda stared at Doria in amazement. How in the world did Doria catch all that when she was standing across the room?

"Well? Are you going to tell us?" Doria impatiently tapped the table with her index finger.

"A-ahh... T-tell you what?" Matilda nervously laughed as she avoided eye contact with Doria.

"You know very well what. _Him_. The man of your dreams!"

"O-oh," Matilda swallowed, hesitating to continue, "Well, I guess you could call him that... He's really caring, brave, nice, even though he can be a butt a times..." The whole group of magypsies let out a thrilled whoop in unison, almost making the frail girl fall out of her chair.

"And? What else!? You're leaving us on a cliffhanger, darling!" Mixolydia said, nearly tipping over her cup of tea as she leaned further with interest.

"...He's really cute, too." Matilda managed out with a squeak.

"Awww! Precious, precious puppy love~!" Ionia chanted, clasping her hands together.

"I-i-it's not love!" Matilda insisted with a stutter. She wanted to disappear from the face of earth or sink into a void of emptiness, away from all the embarrassment. Instead, she put her head down on the table, covering her face with her arms.

The table began to rattle as if an earthquake were occurring. The tea cakes and tarts on the table began imploded as if a fist had smashed them down, sending chunks of pastries across the room. Tea cups began to crack and chip until finally, they commenced to burst into sharp pieces. Shards of porcelain flew towards the nearest magypsy, which was an oblivious Mixolydia, heading straight for her face.

Lifting her head in the nick of time, Matilda caught sight of the shards. Everything around seemed to painfully slow down, as if whoever controlled time itself gave her a merciful opportunity. Horrified, Matilda tried crying out to warn Mixolydia of the incoming shards, but she couldn't seem to find her voice.

_"Shield!" _Ionia raised her hand towards Mixolydia.

A dazzling light flashed in front of Mixolydia, shielding her from the sharp pieces of broken tea cup. The shards fell lifelessly to the ground as they hit the shield of energy.

The once perfectly tidy table was now a mess, full of splattered pastries and broken porcelain dishes. The group of magypsies silently exchanged looks. Matilda held her breath, waiting for the worst.

"Pffft-Hahaha! Did you see your face, Matilda? It was priceless!" Ionia suddenly burst into a fit of laughter. The rest of the magypsies broke out laughing as well. Matilda stood in the crowd, dumbfounded by their actions. What had they found so hilarious?

"What's so funny? Aren't you mad at me? I ruined your little party!" Matilda cried.

"Oh, darling... There's plenty of pastries left in the pantry. And don't worry about that petty tea set. I've many, many more." Ionia said.

"The only thing we worry about is you," Aeolia added, "Mostly because you're new to PSI. We don't want you to get hurt."

Matilda sighed in relief, sinking into her chair. That was a really close call...

"-**But** that doesn't mean you're completely off the hook! You're gonna have to clean up this mess, you know." Ionia said, putting her hands on her hips.

Well, she almost got out completely free. But it could have been much worst.

"Yes, ma'am!" Matilda gave a play salute and carefully began to pick up the broken pieces of tea cups and splattered pastries from the table. She glanced over to the window for a moment; It was almost the next day. How was she not tired? Maybe it was the events that had happened earlier, or simply because she took a nap this morning. Matilda looked back down at the mess.

_This is going to take forever to clean! Or, at least until sunrise. Oh, man... I hope my mother doesn't kill me when I get home! _Matilda complained in her thoughts.

* * *

Boney had eventually delivered Duster to Flint and Wess, even though Duster was still half asleep when they arrived. With the help of Duster, Flint was able to scale the cliff by using Duster's special wall staple techniques. But, after searching high and low, they had a dangerous encounter with a rather nightmarish animal: A caribou, horribly reconstructed with metal parts.

Finding nothing else and caught on a dead end, the group searched on a different path. However, incredible news made its way to the party; The twins had been found washed up on a river bank, and were resting at a nearby camp with a few other villagers.

Flint shortly arrived in no time. He embraced both of his sons, both of them shivering from head to toe. Claus had a distant stare that seemed unlike himself. Lucas looked as if he wanted to break into tears at any given moment.

"D-Dad..." Claus started, but Bronson suddenly stumbled into the camp with more news.

"Flint! I really don't know how to break this to you... I've got good news and bad news..." Bronson began to explain. "The good news is that I found a Drago fang, which will make an excellent weapon. But the bad news iswhere I_ found _the Drago fang..." Bronson hesitated his next sentence, knowing it would stir all hell:

_"It was... in your... It was pierced through your wife's heart..._"

Flint stood next to the campfire, mixed feelings flooding his head. He didn't know how to react. How was this happening? _Why_ was it happening?

"Flint... I'm so sorry. Flint? Flint! Didja hear me? Hinawa... She's-She's gone! Stabbed by a drago fang!" Bronson choked out, holding back a sob.

Heartbroken, yet seething with rage, Flint snatched a sturdy stick from the campfire and began to swing at the other townspeople. This man was no longer the same, no, he was a truly broken man. Some of the onlooking townsfolk attempted to stop Flint by holding him down, only to fail. Bronson even tried to stop him with an endeavor to wrestle him to the ground, but was nearly smacked in the face by Flint's fury. With that close encounter, Lighter, Flint's most trusted cohort since he could remember, finally stepped in.

Lighter bashed his stick of lumber onto the back of Flint's head. Taking full impact, Flint fell to the ground, unconscious.

The twins were terrified with what they had just witnessed; They were terrified by their father's response. They were grief-stricken by the passing of their mother. But most of all, Lucas and Claus were just plain tired.

And on that night, Flint became the first person to ever wind up in the Tazmily jail.

* * *

**A/N: I'M BACK... AND I DUG MY WAY OUTTA PROCRASTINATION WITH SPOONS. How long has it been? A few weeks? IMSOSORRY. I've been caught up with art and stuff.**

**On a different note, some anon got my reference to Matilda's name! Yay! I love you, anon! Now let's see if you can find the Zelda reference in this chapter. c:**

**Lyrics used in this chapter are from the song 'Heart's a Mess' by Gotye. I don't own them.**


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